( 42 ) 

 CASTOR-OIL PLANT. 



Sowing. 



Varieties. None. 



As it requires good rich soil it is usually sown round or in cane and cotton 



fields, though in the alluvial lands of the Jumna it is 

 Preparation of land. 



otten sown in an entire field, but very scattered ; bdjra 



leing intermixed in kharif or mustard in rabi. 



The seeds are sown separately by hand and a little manure put over 

 every seed. It is a common custom to plant the tree 

 on the walls of new groves, &c. ; the root stands high, 

 and free from moisture. 



The plant is often earthed up to strengthen it. Beans are planted be- 

 tween the trees, on which they are afterwards 

 Intermediate operations. 



trained. 



The tree is cut down, the pods taken off and buried in a hole covered 

 with earth to destroy the husk. Cultivator generally 

 only plants enough to keep himself in oil. 

 Outturn. The beans are worth 8 annas to Re. 1 a,n acre. 



The seed is crushed by the "bhurji " (not teli) for oil, who uses the refuse 

 (" lugdi") for fuel. The leaves are a common green 

 food for cattle. The longer and straighter stalks 

 (koro) are used for thatching, the crooked ones are burnt. 



The bhurji crushes the seed in a kundi or wooden mortar, and then boils 

 over a quick fire, when the oil floats to the surface 

 and the refuse sinks to the bottom. The bhurji gives 

 one-third of gross weight in oil to cultivator (see til). 



Harvest, 



Uses. 



Manufacturing processes. 



